During the 58th NATO Committee of the Chiefs of Military Medical Services plenary meeting Nov. 15-17, 2022, the Health Information Systems and Technology Working Group received the prestigious Dominique-Jean Larrey Award.
The Dominique-Jean Larrey Award is the highest award bestowed annually by COMEDS in recognition of exceptional performance with regard to the development of multi-nationality, interoperability, and improvements in the provision of health care within the areas of military medical support and military health care development.
Defense Health Agency leaders Mark Goodge, HIST-WG chair, and Rolando Estrada, HIST-WG secretariat, collaborated with Netherlands' representative, Martin Goos, vice-chair, and civilian and military subject matter experts from 18 nations and multiple partner organizations to enhance NATO's military medical interoperability.
The working group's mission is to improve interoperability, implement secure medical solutions for warfighters, and enhance operations throughout the alliance. Due to the combined expertise, the HIST-WG is highly sought after by the medical community to contribute to medical exercises, workshops, and standardization initiatives.
"On behalf of the HIST-WG, we appreciate the recognition and support of NATO COMEDS. This is a tremendous acknowledgment for such a hard-working and dedicated team of professionals and leaders in their respective medical areas. The knowledge, commitment, and multifaceted skills of each member have been instrumental to the working group's contributions to NATO's digital transformation strategy," said Goodge.
"We are grateful to receive the Dominique-Jean Larrey Award in recognition of the HIST-WG's contributions to the NATO medical community and interoperability of the alliance," added Estrada. "Working group members are committed to the continuous improvement of military health care solutions, information exchange, and decision making throughout the care continuum to save patient lives. It is truly a team effort, and we have only just begun."